A right-wing American influencer with ties to the Maga movement has been charged following an alleged assault on the London Underground. The Metropolitan Police confirmed this morning that the suspect, named as Jake Thompson, 34, was arrested after a confrontation at Oxford Circus station. The incident, which has been widely circulated on social media, shows Thompson shouting pro-Trump slogans before allegedly striking a fellow passenger.
Sources inside the Met indicate the force is keen to make an example of this case. The language from senior officers is clear. ‘Zero tolerance’ is the phrase being briefed. For a force still bruised by the row over political impartiality, this is a careful, deliberate move. They are showing they can handle the hard right as well as the far left.
Thompson is no ordinary tourist. He is a recognised figure in the online Maga ecosystem. His YouTube channel boasts over 200,000 subscribers. His charge sheet includes actual bodily harm and a public order offence. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court tomorrow morning.
The politics are tricky. Downing Street is staying quiet. Private briefings suggest they are watching closely. The Prime Minister’s own position on ‘law and order’ has been a central plank of his pitch to the centre ground. This incident gives the opposition an opening. Labour will demand to know if the government is ‘soft’ on extremism from across the Atlantic. Meanwhile, the right of the Conservative Party is muttering about a ‘double standard’. They cite the lenient treatment of Extinction Rebellion activists. For Keir Starmer, this is a risk. He has been cautious about wading into culture war skirmishes. But the optics of a foreign influencer assaulting a member of the public on the Tube are hard to ignore. Expect the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to lead the charge. He has already called the incident ‘disgraceful’ and praised the police response.
Inside the courtroom, the magistrate will be under scrutiny. The CPS has a record of pursuing charges in high-profile public order cases. But this is a foreign national. The question of bail conditions and potential deportation will be central. Thompson’s lawyer has indicated he will plead not guilty. The defence is likely to argue that the altercation was mutual. But the video evidence is clear. It shows the influencer being aggressive.
For the Maga world back in Washington, this is a distraction. The Trump campaign has not commented. But his allies in the House are already framing this as a ‘UK set-up’. Expect statements about ‘British overreach’ and ‘silencing conservative voices’ to emerge within hours. This is a dangerous narrative. The Met is acutely aware of the risk of the incident being used as a recruitment tool by the far right.
Tomorrow’s court appearance will be a test. Not just for Thompson, but for the delicate balance between free speech and public order. The Met has drawn a line. Now we wait to see if it holds.
